The Mystery of Human Life
"By revelation the mystery was made known to me." Eph. 3:3
The Purpose of Man's Existence
God's Plan
The Four Keys
What Must You Do
The Purpose of Man's Existence
Have you ever asked yourself why you are living in this world
and what the purpose of human life is? No matter what type of
person you are or what your profession is, there are a
few
things which you, like most people, would agree with, that is:
Money cannot
satisfy man,
Neither can
education satisfy man,
Nor can
pleasure satisfy man,
Nor can
success satisfy man.
God has a plan. This plan has everything to do with man. In the Bible, this plan is called God's economy. God's economy is just God's entire plan for man. It explains the origin and destiny of man as well as the meaning of human existence.
How can you know God's Economy?
The Four Keys
God has prepared four keys for you to unlock God's economy. These four keys are recorded in the Bible. Each of these
four keys is equally important, and indispensable. Please open your heart right now to quietly and carefully read
through this message; you will then grasp these four keys, understand God's economy, realize the purpose of man,
and begin a satisfied human life.
The First Key: God's Creation
Unlocking the Mystery of Human Life
1. Man has God's Image
Please read the following verse: "And God said, Let us make man in our image and likeness..." Genesis 1:26a
God's creation of man is different from His creation of all
other things. He created man in His own image. A glove is
created according to the likeness of a hand with the purpose
of containing the hand. Likewise, man was created in the
image of God with the purpose of containing God.
2. Man is a Vessel
Now read the next verse: God "should make known the riches of His glory upon vessels
of mercy, which He had before prepared unto glory." Romans 9:23-24
We are vessels of God. God wants to be our content. As bottles
are made to contain liquid, we are made to contain God. It is
no wonder that knowledge, wealth, pleasure, and accomplishment
can never satisfy you, for you were created to contain GOD!
3. The Parts of Man
Please continue by reading the next verse: "May your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete." 1 Thes. 5:23
Man is God's vessel. The Bible divides this vessel into three
parts--the spirit, the soul, and the body. See diagram below:
The BODY is simply the physical body, belonging to the physiological level, contacting the things of the material realm,
The SOUL is the mental faculty, belonging to the psychological level, contacting the things of the mental realm, is a deeper part.
The SPIRIT is the deepest part of man, belonging to the spiritual level, and contacts the things of God.
For problems of the body, one may see a doctor.
For problems of the mind, one may see a psychiatrist.
Yet only God can solve the problems of the spirit.
4. God's Economy
God wants to enter into man's spirit, to become his content
and his satisfaction. This is the purpose of human existence!
You are not merely created to contain knowledge in your mind,
but you are created to contain God in your spirit.
The Second Key: Man's Fall
Unlocking the Mystery of the Good and Evil Natures of Man
1. The Two Natures of Man back to key 2
Since man was made in the image of God, he possesses a good
nature that matches God's nature, with virtues such as
truthfulness, goodness, loveliness, wisdom, kindness, and
valor.
However, there is also an evil nature in man which wars
against his good nature. The Chinese methaphysicists refer
to this war as a battle between reason and lust. Throughout
history, both in the East and West, those who understand
human nature acknowledge the existence of this evil nature
which the Bible calls
SIN.
2. SIN back to key 2
Because Sin is in man, he is unable to carry out his good
intentions. No one likes to be greedy, jealous, or murderous. No one likes to be boastful, arrogant, or deceitful.
No one likes to be irritable, licentious, or lustful. No one
likes to murmur, complain, or curse. Nevertheless, man
cannot escape his evil nature.
Please read the following verses: "For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, nothing good
dwells; for to will is present with me, but to do the good is
not." Romans 7:18
3. The Fall of Man
Sin entered into man and caused him to fall. See diagram
below:
(1) Sin caused man's spirit to be deadened: "And you, being dead in your offenses and sins." Eph. 2:1 back to key 2
(2) Sin caused man's mind to rebel: "And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by evil works." Col. 1:21
(3) Sin caused man's body to sin: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to obey its lust." Rom. 6:12
The Fallen man is like:
A damage and unturnable radio which
cannot received and play music, but
rather meaningless noise.
He is also like:
A cup that has fallen into the gutter,
outwardly pretty but full of mud.
4. Man cannot Save Himself back to key 2
Throughout history, man has tried every possible way to
escape sin, but he has found that:
Good works cannot save him from sin.
Education cannot save him from sin.
Ethics cannot save him from sin.
Chanting cannot save him from sin.
Religion cannot save him from sin.
This picture of man simply depicts the battle between his
good nature and his evil nature.
The Third Key: Christ's Redemption
Unlocking the Mystery of the Life and Death of the God-Man
back to keys
1. Who is Christ back to key 3
Christ is the Savior sent from God to the world to solve the
problems of human life. He is the embodiment of the Triune
God. "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (Col. 2:9). He is also God incarnated:
"The
Word was God... the Word became flesh and tabernacled among
us... full of grace and reality." (John 1:1, 14)
Therefore, He is both the complete God and the perfect man.
He is more than a good man!
He is more than a great man!
He is more than a moral man!
He is more than a holy man!
He is the God-Man!
2. The Death of the God-Man
This God-Man was nailed to the cross to accomplish the work
of redemption. He died with three statuses:
(1) As the Lamb of God, He died to take away man's sin.
"...the Lamb of God who
takes away the sin of the world." John 1:29
(2) As the brass serpent that had been lifted up, He died tocrush the old serpent,
Satan, and to deal with the serpent's poison within man--his sinful nature.
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man
be lifted up." John 3:14
(3) As a grain of wheat, He died to release the divine life.
"...a grain of wheat...dies, it bears much fruit." John 12:24
Now:
His death has taken away the sin which man has but should not have!
His death imparts into man the life which he needs but does not have!
The Fourth Key: God's Dispensing
Unlocking the Mystery of Faith in Christ
back to keys
1. The Two Becomings of Christ
God became flesh, born as a man called Jesus. Please read
the following verses: "The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us."
John 1:14
The Lord became the Spirit called the life-giving Spirit by
His resurrection from the dead. Read the following verse: "The last Adam became a life-giving Spirit."
1 Cor. 15:45
Since this Spirit is the life-giving Spirit, He dispenses
God with His life into His believers.
Hence, the Bible says: "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have
the Son of God does not have the life." I John 5:12
2. Regenerating Man
In his first birth, man obtains a physical life. When man receives God's life through Christ, he experiences a second birth, which the Bible calls regeneration.
"God...has regenerated us... through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from among the dead." 1 Pet. 1:3
"Jesus said, 'Unless a man is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3
A pig cannot participate in the sheep's kingdom and live a
sheep's life by education, improvement, or regulation; it
must posses the life of a sheep.
Similarly, man cannot participate in God's kingdom and live
a divine life by education, improvement, or regulation; he
must receive the life of God!
3. The Meaning of being a Christian
A Christian is one who receives God's dispensing. God first
dispenses Himself into our spirit and then spreads from our
spirit into our soul. Finally, He fills and saturates our
spirit, soul, and body with Himself. The Bible calls this
final stage glorification. "And whom He predestinated, these He also called; and
whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He
justified, these He also glorified." Rom. 8:30
Through this, we can be conformed to the image of Christ. "Because whom He foreknew, He also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His Son." Rom. 8:29
This is the purpose of human life!
This is the meaning of being a Christian!
This is what God has planned for you!
back to key 4
back to topWhat Must You Do?
back to top
1. Repent - Turn Your Heart to God back to What...
Repentance is not to be remorseful.
Repentance is neither to turn over a new leaf.
Repentance is to have a change in mind.
Previously, you had your back towards God. Whether you were
doing good or evil, you were away from God. Your mind was
turned away from God. Now listen to what the Lord Jesus said: "Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near."
Matt. 4:17
2. Receive - Believe back to What...
To believe is not to nod your head, nor to agree, nor merely
to be appreciative. If someone gives you a watch, it is not
enough for you just to nod your head in agreement and admire
the watch. You need to receive it. Believing is just
receiving. Read the following verses: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave
authority to become children of God, those who believe
in His name." John 1:12
3. Call - Confess back to What...
Being a Christian is an open matter. God requires that your heart believed and that your mouth
confess.
If your heart does not believe, you cannot be saved.
If your mouth does not confess, neither can you be saved. But: "...if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and
believed in your heart that God has raised Him from
among the dead, you shall be saved." Rom. 10:9
How about you calling “O, Lord Jesus!” three times.
“O, Lord Jesus!”
“O, Lord Jesus!”
“O, Lord Jesus!”
Now your are saved! Saved from the lake of fire!
4. Testify - Be Baptized back to What... back to top
Baptism is a testimony before men. All believers should be
baptized in order to be saved not only before God, but also
before men. The Lord Jesus said: "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he
who does not believe shall be condemned." Mark 16:16
Through baptism, God transfers us from the kingdom of
Satan into the kingdom of God. For this reason, the
Lord Jesus said: "Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born of
water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God." John 3:5
Copyright © 1986 Living Stream, Anaheim, CA, USA. All rights reserved
